1. Field of the Subject Disclosure
The present subject disclosure relates to Universal Integrated Circuit Cards (UICCs). More specifically, the present subject disclosure relates to over-the-air (OTA) programming of virtual subscriber identity modules (SIM) on a UICC.
2. Background of the Subject Disclosure
In North American market segments, cellular telephones are locked to a specific carrier using different types of locking methods. Many of these methods involve locking the subscriber identity module (SIM) card inside of a cellular telephone. When a cellular telephone is locked, the telephone cannot be used with a different carrier. This has prompted many illegal ways to unlock a cellular telephone. One of the key reasons for carrier to lock a telephone is because the carriers subsidize the initial cost of the telephone, hoping to recoup the money from a long term subscriber contract. Outside of the North American markets, certain countries do not permit SIM-locking a cellular telephone. In order to switch to a different carrier, the subscriber needs to visit a store and have a technician provision the telephone to a different carrier.
A subscriber can purchase an unlocked cellular telephone with a much higher price tag and decide which carrier to go to for wireless service. A subscriber will get wireless service with subsidized telephone(s), but the subscriber is then locked into a two year contract. When a subscriber enters an area outside of his provider service domain, roaming service will start, which usually incurs an extra charge. Moreover, unlocked cellular telephones are priced substantially higher than locked telephones. A subscriber who is locked into a two year contract may have to pay an early cancellation fee to break the contract. A subscriber who is out of the service provider serving area may have to pay a roaming fee or end up buying another prepaid phone from the local service provider to avoid the high roaming charges. Even though some service providers offer a way to unlock a cellular telephone when it is outside of the service area, the process is cumbersome and ineffective.